Hydraulically powered ore raising mechanism for mining system

ABSTRACT

A mining system in which ore is mechanically mined and elevated to the ground level by a mechanical conveyor that is hydraulically powered from a column of water which downflows from a surface reservoir to an underground reservoir and spent water from the underground reservoir is pumped back to the surface reservoir.

United States Patent 1191 1111 3,838,886

Kilroy Oct. 1, 1974 [54] HYDRAULICALLY POWERED ORE [56] References Cited RAISING MECHANISM FOR MINING UNITED STATES PATENTS SYSTEM l,481,797 1/1924 Hadden 61/19 7 Inventor; Oliver n- 5 c n Corta St" 1,999,419 4/1935 Mercier 299/18 X Tucson, Ariz. 87516 Primary ExaminerErnest R. Purser [22] Flled: Sept 1973 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John A. Robertson [21] Appl. No.: 398,951 ABSTRACT Related US. Application Data [57]. continuatiomm art of Ser No 293 401 Se t 29 A mmlng system 1n Wl'llCh ore 1s mechamcally mmed I 973 Pat NO 3P79O 214 p and elevated to the ground level by a mechamcal conveyor that is hydraulically powered from a column of water which downflows from a surface reservoir to an [52] US. Cl 299/18, 60/398,269l 4/1199, underground reservoir and Spent water from the [51] Int Cl Ezlc 41/00 derground reservoir is pumped back to the surface [58] Field 01 Search 299/18, 19; 61/19; 60/398 5 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure mmm PATENIED m I M 1 @o IQQ HYDRAULICALLY POWERED ORE RAISING MECHANISM FOR MINING SYSTEM This application is a continuation-impart of the copending application of Oliver B. Kilroy, Ser. No. 293,401, filed Sept. 29, 1973 now US. Pat. No. 3,790,214 and entitled Hydraulic Mining System."

The present invention relates to mining systems and is concerned primarily with raising ore from the mining level to the ground surface by a mechanical conveyor that is hydraulically powered.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the above identified copending application, there is disclosed an hydraulic mining system in which mined ore is converted into a slurry at the mining level and elevated as a slurry to the ground surface. This raising of the slurry is carried out by a pump which is hydraulically powered. The hydraulic power is derived from a column of water which downflows from a surface reservoir to an underground reservoir. The power is derived from this downflowing column of water by a turbine which is mechanically connected to the pump. After the water passes the turbine, some of it is diverted to a slurry mixing tank. Provision is made for pumping water from the underground reservoir to the surface reservoir. It is evident that the mining system of the copending application is characterized by the fact that the ore is elevated in slurry form.

In most, if not all, of the areas where mines are located, electric power is cheaper at night than it is in the daytime. Thus, the present invention is founded on the basic concept of using electric power during nighttime to return water from the underground reservoir to the surface reservoir and then conducting the mining operations during the daytime by deriving power from the column of water which downflows from the surface reservoir.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION With the foregoing conditions in mind, the present invention has in view the following objectives:

1. To provide a mining system in which mined ore is raised to the ground surface by a mechanical conveyor that is hydraulically powered.

2. To provide a mining system of the type noted which includes hydraulic apparatus comprising a surface reservoir, a tube depending from said reservoir and emptying into an underground reservoir, a turbine included in such tube, and a return conduit from said underground reservoir to said surface reservoir including an electrically'driven pump.

3. To provide, in a mining system of the character aforesaid, mechanical connections between the turbine and the mechanical conveyor.

Various other more detailed objects and advantages of the invention, such as arise in connection with carrying out the above ideas in a practical embodiment, will, in part, become apparent and, in part, be hereafter stated as the description of the invention proceeds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The foregoing objects are achieved by providing a mining system'including a surface reservoir of large capacity at the ground level, a tube depending from said reservoir and having a vertical component and which empties into an underground reservoir below the mining level. A turbine is included in this tube and is driven by the downflowing column of water therein. A collection bin is provided at the mining level and receives mined ore. A mechanical conveyor extends from this collection bin to the ground surface and is driven by gearing which is in turn driven from the turbine. A return conduit extends from the underground reservoir to the surface reservoir and included therein is a pump which is driven by an electric motor.

It is intended that the mining operation be conducted in-the daytime, during which the downflowing column of water drives the turbine and the latter in turn drives the mechanical conveyor. During the night, the mining operations are discontinued and water is pumped from the underground reservoir to the surface reservoir by the electrically driven pump.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description and the accompanying drawing wherein:

The FIGURE is a sectional view, largely diagrammatic, through that portion of the earth in which a mine is located, with the ground and certain of the elements of the apparatus broken away to permit illustration on the scale of the drawing.

Before describing the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is noted that the present invention is disclosed in conjunction with mechanical mining mechanism which requires little or no water. Thus, while it is entirely possible and practical to divert some water from the downflowing column for utilitarian purposes associated with the mining operation, the invention is concerned primarily with the derivation of hydraulic power from this downflowing column of water to drive the mechanical conveyor which elevates the ore to the ground surface.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing, a portion of earth in which a mine is located is designated 10 and includes a ground surface or level 11 and a mining area designated 12. Located in the ground 10 at and immediately below ground level 11 is a surface reservoir 13 of largecapacity. This reservoir 13 is intended to receive an amount of water sufficient for supplying hydraulic power for a full working day. Depending from the bottom of reservoir 13 is a tube 14 which is illustrated as being vertical. It will be understood that this tube 14 need not be exactly vertical, but must have a vertical component. Tube 14 empties into an underground reservoir 15, which has a capacity substantially the same as that of surface reservoir 13 or a capacitysufficient to contain the water used in powering theelevating mechanism for a full day of operation.

Included in the tube 14 is a turbine represented diagrammatically at 16 and from which mechanical connections 17 extend to gearing mechanism 18. The latter is mechanically connected to a mechanical conveyor 19 of the well-known endless belt type to drive the conveyor.

Mechanical mining apparatus is designated generally 20 and is effective to remove ore from the mining surface designated 21. Ore is delivered by apparatus 20 to conveyor 22 which transfers the ore to a collection bin or station 23. The lower end of conveyor 19 extends into bin 23 and picks up ore therefrom.

Needless to say, conveyor 19 also has a vertical component and its upper end is positioned above ground surface 11 where mined ore is dumped into a receptacle 24. So far as the invention of this application is concerned, what happens to the ore after it reaches receptacle 24 is not a part of this invention.

A return conduit 25 has its lower end connected to the underground reservoir as indicated at 26 and its upper end to the surface reservoir 13 as indicated at 27. A pump 28 is included in conduit 25 and is driven by an electric motor 29.

OPERATION While the manner in which the above described apparatus operates is believed to be obvious from the illustration of the drawing and description of parts set forth above, it may be briefly described as follows:

It is intended that the mining operation be carried out during the daylight hours. During this period, a column of water downflows in tube 14 from surface reservoir 13 to underground reservoir 15. This downflowing column of water drives turbine 16. The latter in turn drives the conveyor 19 through connections 17 and gearing 18. As ore is mined by the apparatus 20, it is transferred by conveyor 22 to collection bin 23 and from the latter is picked up by conveyor 19 and conveyed to receptacle 24 at ground surface 11.

During the nighttime, when electric power is less expensive as compared to the cost of such power during the daytime, motor 29 is energized to drive pump 28 and return water from the underground surface reservoir 15 to the surface reservoir 13.

While conduit 25 is depicted as being of small diameter than tube 14, it will be understood that this relation may be reversed in the event it is desired to conduct the mining operations during 24-hour periods. Thus, there should be sufficient downflow of water to generate hydraulic power for 24 hours while the water is returned through conduit 25 only during the nighttime. With such an arrangement, there will be no economy for the nighttime mining operations, but it is still achieved for the daytime mining operations.

While a preferred specific embodiment is herein disclosed, it is to be clearly understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact steps, mechanisms and devices illustrated and described because various modifications of these details may be provided in putting the invention into practice.

What is cliamed is:

1. In the mining of ore, the method comprising the steps of:

c. driving said mechanical conveyor from a water turbine;

d. operating said water turbine by a column of water which downflows from a surface reservoir to an underground reservoir, and

e. returning water from said underground reservoir to said surface reservoir by pumping it through a return conduit, with the pump being electrically driven.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the mechanical conveyor is driven by the turbine during daytime and the electrically driven pump which returns water from the underground reservoir to the surface reservoir is operated at night.

3. In a mining system included in a mine having a ground surface, a mining level and a mining surface, apparatus for conveying ore taken from said mining level to said ground surface and comprising:

a. a surface reservoir at said ground surface;

b. an underground reservoir below said mining level;

c. a tube extending from said surface reservoir to said underground reservoir;

d. a turbine included in said tube;

e. mining apparatus for removing ore from said mining surface;

f. a collection bin at said mining level;

g. a conveyor for transferring ore from said mining apparatus to said collection bin;

h. a mechanical conveyor extending from said collection bin to said ground surface;

i. driving connections between said turbine and said mechanical conveyor;

j. a return conduit having a lower end connected to said underground reservoir and an upper end connected to said surface reservoir;

k. a pump included in said return conduit, and

1. an electric motor for driving said pump.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which the driving connections include gearing mechanism driven from said turbine and operatively connected to said mechanical conveyor.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, together with a receptacle at the ground surface for receiving ore from said mechanical conveyor. 

1. In the mining of ore, the method comprising the steps of: a. removing ore from a mining surface and conveying it to a collection station; b. transferring ore from said collection station to ground level by a mechanical conveyor; c. driving said mechanical conveyor from a water turbine; d. operating said water turbine by a column of water which downflows from a surface reservoir to an underground reservoir, and e. returning water from said underground reservoir to said surface reservoir by pumping it through a return conduit, with the pump being electrically driven.
 2. The method of claim 1 in which the mechanical conveyor is driven by the turbine during daytime and the electrically driven pump which returns water from the underground reservoir to the surface reservoir is operated at night.
 3. In a mining system included in a mine having a ground surface, a mining level and a mining surface, apparatus for conveying ore taken from said mining level to said ground surface and comprising: a. a surface reservoir at said ground surface; b. an underground reservoir below said mining level; c. a tube extending from said surface reservoir to said underground reservoir; d. a turbine included in said tube; e. mining apparatus for removing ore from said mining surface; f. a collection bin at said mining level; g. a conveyor for transferring ore from said mining apparatus to said collection bin; h. a mechanical conveyor extending from said collection bin to said ground surface; i. driving connections between said turbine and said mechanical conveyor; j. a return conduit having a lower end connected to said underground reservoir and an upper end connected to said surface reservoir; k. a pump included in said return conduit, and l. an electric motor for driving said pump.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 in which the driving connections include gearing mechanism driven from said turbine and operatively connected to said mechanical conveyor.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3, together with a receptacle at the ground surface for receiving ore from said mechanical conveyor. 